Overcoming Faith

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith. 1 John 5:4

Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. We overcome the world by our faith in Jesus. Typically, whenever we go through trials, diffi culties, troubles or pressure, it is easy for us to be worried, sad and discouraged. But pressure and problems are really a part of our lives. So instead of being a victim of circumstances, let us be overcomers! We overcome by changing the way we look at our problems. The mindset of an overcomer is this: I am not a victim; I am going to benefi t from this trial! In 1 Peter 4:14, “blessed” means fortunate, well-off, supremely blessed! In the great Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:10-12 to count it a blessing when we are tried for our faith in God. “Be exceedingly glad” means to rejoice greatly; to jump for joy! It is to behave as if the best thing in the world just happened to you!

What tries us? Very often, the trial begins with a promise—a promise from God! Psalm 105:19 says, “Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.” Joseph was given a dream of greatness but he did not immediately receive the promise. He suffered greatly and had to spend time in a dungeon while waiting for its fulfi llment. How should our attitude be when we go through trials?

(1) We should rejoice when we go through trials. Count it all joy and praise God. Don’t sin against God with your mouth. Don’t complain or murmur. Look at Job’s testimony when the worst calamity came upon him. “In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 1:22; 2:10).

(2) We need to have endurance when we go through trials. Don’t cast away your confidence, which is your faith, because there will be a great reward (Heb. 10:32-38)! There may come a time when you think you cannot take it anymore. You are about to give up! You want to call it quits! No! You must hang in there; you can develop endurance and perseverance when you look to the reward. God has a reward waiting for those who overcome!

(3) We know that our character is developed when we go through trials. Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered (5:8-9). Likewise, we mature in our character through trials (James 1:2-4). We tend to question God when we go through trials because we cannot see the end purpose while we are in it. But the fact is God is maturing us.

Remember what the apostle Paul said in Romans 5:3-4, “we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” God is more interested in developing our character than our comfort. It is through tribulation that our character is proven.